Shopping bag



B. ALTHEIMER 2.177.972

SHOPPING BAG Filed April 22, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l F'l G. 1

Oct. 31, 1939.

Oct. 3l, 1939. v l B. ALTHEIMER 2,177,972

SHOBPING BAG Filed April 22, 1938 2 Smets-Sheet 2 f/71/e/7f0r 15E-N Annan/Ima Patented Oct. 31, 1939 PATENT OFFICE SHOPPING BAG Ben Altheimer, University City, Mo., assignor of one-fourth to Hal L. Wilson, St. Louis, Mo.

Application April 22, 193s, serial No. 203,518

i Claims.

This invention relates tol improvements ,in

Ishopping bags and has among its objects ther production of such a bag, which Will be extremely simple in construction, durable and sturdy in use, neat in appearance, very low in cost of manufacture and made with a minimum of material commensurate with the resultant strength of the bag, land which will be otherwise satisfactory and eifective for use whereverdeemed applicable.`

One of the principal objects of my invention is to make a bag of the kind described,`of a sheet o-f substantially H-shaped iiexible material, easily and quickly folded into shape and held in finished y form bythe carrying handles affixed'thereto; '15 i Another object of my invention is to provide a shoppin-g bag ci the kind described, wherein there will be a minimum of obstructions within the bag and hence may be easily and completely emptied of its contents froml time to time, as

'.20 desired.

:25 from adjacent portions to facilitate thefolding operations and to enable the bag to be constructed with a minimum cost in labor and material. c

Many other objects and advantages of the con- 30 struction herein shown and described will be ob'- vious to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, from the disclosures herein given.

To this end, my invention consists in the novel 35 construction, arrangement andl combination of parts herein shown and described, and the uses mentioned, and the methodemployed in setting up the bag to its iinished form, as will be more clearly pointed out in the claims hereunto ap- 40 pended. l y

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the Views.

Figure l is a perspective view of my improved 45 bag or carrier, ready for carrying;

Figure 2 is a plan View of the blank-for the bag;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the bag partially folded to nished form, and without 50 the handles; and

Figure 4 is a similar view, showing the bag more completely folded to finished form.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein I have illustrated a preferred form of my 55 invention, there is shown a bag of the Wellknown shopping-bag type, being used in many fields fory a carrier for a miscellaneous assortment of relatively small packages, and in order to afford the strength required for the purpose, they are `often made of kraft paper. In order to enable the bag to be carried with one hand, the top of the bag may be brought substantially together, so that the hand may extend through the loops or handles on both of the major sides of the bag.

The bag is preferably made of kraft paper or some other suitably cheap and sturdy, flexible sheeting, initially cut out or otherwise formed to a substantially H-shaped form, as indicated in Fig` 2, the `horizontal bar or leg ofthe H being rsubstantially twice as wide as the vertical legs l5 of the H as indicated at I and 2, respectively.

Slits 3 are formed through the material of the sheet along each of the inside edges of the vertical legs 2, and coincident with said inside edges, asshown, each of the slits extending inwardly from the horizontal edges of the horizontal bar yof the H aforesaid for a predetermined distance,

the slits from the opposite ends of the same leg terminating a distance apart that determines the width across the bottom of the bag, Y

Various fold or score lines are provided throughout the blank to facilitate the folding of the bag and to insure the folding of the bag along neat and predetermined straight lines. One of these fold lines is indicated at 4, horizontally across the entire blank from the outer edge of one of the vertical legs of the H to the corresponding other leg of the same, this fold line yserving as a guide for the subsequent folding of the blank therealong either upwardly from the plane of the sheet or downwardly therefrom, as desired, the direction of folding resulting in causing the ends of the bag to be within or without the boundaries of the sides'of the bag, as the case may be. In vthe form illustrated, the ends 40 of the bagtend to fall within the bag, and the fold along the line 4 was by bringing the opposite parts o-f the blank downwardly of the plane of the sheet.

y Score lines 5-5 are provided, parallel to each 45 other, and to the line 4, one on each side of the latter, and coextensve in length with the same, the spacing apart of the lines 5-5 determining the width of the bottom'and ends of the bag, as shown. Short score lines 6--6 are provided co- 50 incident with and in alignment with the inside edges of the vertical legs of the H, each of said lines 6 extending between the slits 3--3 at either end of the horizontal bar of the H.

A pair of parallel, spaced score lines 1-8 are 55 provided along each of the vertical legs of the H, adjacent the outside vertical edges of the same, and a similar pair of fold lines IU-ll are provided across the upper and lower edges of the horizontal bar of the H-shaped sheet, the distances between the lines 3 and 8 being substantially equal to that between the lines 5 and Il, but the distances between the lines IG and Il being slightly greater than said distance, for a reason to be more clearly hereinafter set forth.

The fold or score lines 'i-S and lll-Il determine the lines of fold for making of the hem about the top of the bag, this hem serving not only to provide a nicely rounded and smooth edge for the top of the bag, but serving to adequateiy reinforce the bag thereahout and provide a good and firm anchorage for the handles I3 by wnieh the bag is carried.

Fold or score lines 9-9 extend diagonally from each of the intersections of the lines 5 and E, at substantially 45 to the fold line 4, these lines extending diagonally either inwardly or outwardly depending upon whether or not it is desired to have the ends of the nished bag project into or out from the flat folded bag. In the form shown, the diagonal lines extend outwardly, as the bag is so designed that the bag ends project interiorly of the bag.

In making up the bag, the blanks are out to the shape substantially as indicated in Fig. 2, with the slits and score lines therein, and if it is desired to have the carrying handle threaded through the material of the bag, the apertures l2 for receiving the handle i3 may he punched through the material at the proper places, although it is obvious that the handle may be affixed by stapling or otherwise, and even if by threading, the punching may be done immediately prior to the threading of the handle.

The blank is then folded along the line 4, and the hems folded along the edges as shown. For the sake of convenience it will be assumed .that the vertical legs of the H have their hems folded first, and the other hems then folded. Each of the hems is a double fold as shown, the fold being first along the outermost fold line, as for example along the line the material being brought flat against the body of the sheet to provide a double thickness thereat, and thereafter the second fold is made along the line 8, in the same direction, and providing a triple thickness at the hem.

The hems along the lines lil and l l are similarly formed and are also of a triple thickness therealong, but it is to be remembered that I prefer to have the lines i9 and l l spaced apart slightly more than the lines 1 and 8.

The material as thus hemmed is then folded along the fold lines 5-5 andv thence along the lines 5 6, so that the vertical leg portions can be folded upright substantially at right angles to the plane of the sheet along the line t, and the ends of the vertical legs then folded along the lines 5 5, Fig. 3 showing the manner of folding the vertical legs toward one another so that they will overlap and the said legs be superimposed on one another` thereat as shown in Fig, a.

Then the upper and lower portions of the horizontal bar part of the H-shaped blank is folded upright and the hemmed edge is brought over the hemmed edges of the pair of overlapped wings and the free edge of the horizontal bar between the line I and the free tip of the said part is hooked up between the lowermost edges of the hems of the pair of overlapped portions and the body of the sheet thereat, as indicated in Fig. 1.

The distance between the fold lines El and as shown, was made somewhat larger than the similar distance between the fold lines 'l and 8 to facilitate the hooking of the rst resultant hem over the pair of hems already in. place.

The bag as then folded will have a bottom i4, a pair of ends |-l5, and a pair of side walls of triple thickness formed by the overlapped portions IB-IS extended from opposite directions and the outer portion I1 superimposed over said pair of overlapped portions. The cord or handle may be aflixed somewhat as shown, or in any other manner, and after it has been secured in place will serve to retain the parts in their assembled relation, although permitting the bag to be folded flat or opened, as the case may be.

It is to be particularly noted that in my bag as thus constructed, there are no obstructions of any kind within the interior of the bag, apart from the hem at the very top edge of the same, and hence small articles, such as a purse or handkerchief may be placed within the bag with the assurance that the same can be removed when needed without getting caught or lodged within some fold or crevice within the bag, and enabling all'of the contents of the bag to be speedily and entirely emptied without likelihood of an object remaining within the bag unnoticed.

Although the outermost side wall portions I7 may be cemented or otherwise secured along their upright edges to the adjacent bag structure, it may be desirable and convenient to have the opening between the said wall Vi and the adjacent overlapped portion I6, so that a shopping list, pamphlet, or even a newspaper may be disposed in this space.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I dc not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, arrangement, construction and combination of parts, or the method of assembly herein shown and described, except as limited by the state of the art to which this invention appertains, or the claims hereunto appended.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A shopping bag formed of a substantially H- shaped sheet of flexible material, each pair of ends of the vertical legs being folded upright and overlapping one another for substantially their full length to provide a receptacle having a bottom, a side and end walls, an additional pair of side walls formed from the horizontal bar of said H and superimposed on said first-mentioned side walls, and carrying means through said receptacle side Walls.

2. A shopping bag formed of a substantially H-shaped sheet of paper, the vertical legs of the H being folded upright toward one another, the upper and lower pair of ends of said legs being folded to overlap one another throughout substantially their entire length, respectively, the upper and lower portions of said horizontal bar of the H being folded upright and provided with folded reinforcing hems to overlie and interlock with the adjacent edges cf the overlapped ends of the vertical leg portions.

3. A shopping bag formed from a substantially H-shaped sheet of flexible material folded centrally horizontally,'slit along the inside edges of said vertical legs of the H inwardly to a predetermined distance to define the bottom Width of the bag, the hems folded along the outer edges of said Vertical legs of the H, said pair of vertical legs folded upwardly into parallel relationship, the similar ends of the pair of legs folded to overlap one another, throughout substantially their full length, and the remaining portions of the sheet folded upright and superimposed on the adjacent folded ends of said legs.

4. A shopping bag made from a single H- shaped sheet of paper folded centrally horizontahv ly and slit along the inside edges of said vertical legs of the H inwardly to a predetermined distance to dene thebag bottoni, hems along they outer edges of said Vertical legs and along the outermost horizontal edges of the horizontal leg, said pair of Vertical legs being folded upright, the top ends and bottom ends being folded, respectively to overlap one another for substantially their full length, and the remaining portions of the sheet folded upright and superimposed on the adjacent folded ends of said legs.

5. A shopping bag of an H-shaped sheet with the inside edges of the vertical legs of the H slit inwardly from top and bottom for a distance to define the width of the bag bottom, the outer edges of said vertical legs and the outermost horizontal edges of the horizontal leg folded into a hem, said pair of vertical legs folded upwardly from the plane of the sheet into substantially parallel relationship, similar ends of the pair of legs folded to overlap one another for substantially their full length, the remaining portions of the sheet folded upwardly from the plane of the sheet and superimposed the same onto the adjacent folded ends of said legs, and the hams of the horizontal leg portions folded over the hems of the oppositely overlappedportions and interlocking under the lower edges of the oppositely overlapped herns.`

6. A shopping bag made oi a single sheet of paper folded to provide a bottom, side and end walls, Said end walls being of a single ply and said side walls of a plurality of plies substantially co-extensive along the upper edge of the bag, all of said side and end walls having a reinforcing hem along the top, and said hem of the outermost plyfof each side wall being inturned and downturned and thence upturned to forni a channel interlocked with the adjacent hems of the inner plies of side wall.

7. A shopping bag made of a single sheet oi paper folded to form a bottom, side and end walls, said side walls being of three substantially coeXtensive superimposed plies of said material, the outermost of said side wall plies being secured to the under plies only along the top and bottom to form an article-receiving pocket between said outermost ply and the adjacent ply, said pocket being accessible from without the bag to receive articles for storage in the pocket.

BEN ALTHEIMER. 

